Red Dates (Jujube) Buyer’s Guide: Quality Specs, Sourcing Tips, and Real-World Use
If you’re scanning the market for red dates for sale, here’s the insider playbook I wish more buyers had. Origin matters, testing matters, and—surprisingly—cut style and moisture management can make or break your final product. The batch I sampled from Zanhuang County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei had that classic honeyed chew with a clean finish; many customers say that’s the “comfort note” they want in tea blends and bakery lines.
What’s trending in the jujube world
Demand is shifting toward clean-label, sulfur-free, low-moisture jujube with reliable traceability. Functional food formulators love the vitamin C, polyphenols, and naturally sweet profile. To be honest, e-commerce has made bulk buying easier—but consistent specs and certifications are still the bottleneck. Hebei’s Zanhuang belt remains a sweet spot for stable supply and classic flavor.
Product specification snapshot
| Parameter | Typical Spec (≈, real-world use may vary) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Zanhuang County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China |
| Size/Grade | Large 3.0–3.5 cm; Medium 2.4–3.0 cm |
| Moisture | ≤18% (AOAC 934.06) |
| Brix | ≈52–68 °Bx |
| Defects (combined) | ≤2% by weight; pits free option available |
| Packaging | 5–10 kg food-grade bags, carton lined; MAP on request |
| Shelf Life | 12–18 months at 0–10°C, RH ≤65% |
Process flow, testing, and certifications
Materials: ripe Ziziphus jujuba harvested at physiological maturity. Methods: field sorting → washing → de-pitting (if required) → controlled sun/air-drying → low-temp dehydration fine-tune → optical sort + metal detection → MAP packing. Testing: moisture (AOAC 934.06), microbiology (GB 4789 series), pesticide residues (GB 2763), heavy metals (GB 2762). Certifications typically requested: ISO 22000, HACCP (Codex), and where applicable, FDA FSMA readiness for US import. Service life is largely tied to moisture and storage temp—keep it cool and dry.
Applications and feedback
-
– Tea blends and RTD infusions: natural sweetness; nice color extraction.
– Bakery and confectionery: diced or paste; binds well in oat bars.
– Nutraceutical and TCM formats: tonics, syrups, wellness kits.
– Foodservice: porridge toppings, dessert garnish.
Buyers tell me the chew and aroma “sell” the product. Actually, I’ve seen fewer complaints about clumping when moisture is kept below 18% and cartons have desiccants. If you see red dates for sale with overly glossy skins, check for added sugars—you want the fruit speaking for itself.
Vendor comparison (quick view)
| Attribute | Luhua (Zanhuang) | Vendor A | Vendor B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traceability | Farm-to-lot mapping | Batch-only | Partial records |
| Moisture Control | ≤18% routinely | ≈20–22% | Varies by lot |
| Certs | ISO 22000, HACCP (on request) | HACCP | None listed |
| Customization | Whole, pitted, sliced, diced | Whole only | Whole/pitted |
| Lead Time | 7–15 days typical | 15–25 days | Uncertain |
Customization and case notes
Options: sulfur-free, low-moisture target, pitted/half-cut/diced (5–12 mm), paste, MAP, private label. One beverage brand used diced red dates for sale at 6 mm; Brix at ≈60 °Bx gave balanced sweetness with no added sugar. A bakery chain ran 12-month stability; at 8°C storage, flavor held steady and color shift was minor—good news for RTE bars.
Final checks before you buy
-
– Ask for COA with moisture, microbiology, and residue limits.
– Confirm GB 2763 and GB 2762 compliance; HACCP plan summary helps.
– Request a 500 g pre-shipment sample; do a quick Brix and water activity test.
– For e-commerce listings of red dates for sale, verify harvest season notes and storage guidance.
Want the short version? Keep it simple: reputable origin, clean specs, and cold storage. That’s your quality triangle.
Authoritative references
- USDA FoodData Central: Jujube, dried. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- Gao Q-H et al. Nutritional and phytochemical properties of Ziziphus jujuba. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- Codex Alimentarius. General Principles of Food Hygiene CXC 1-1969 (HACCP). https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codex/
- ISO 22000:2018 Food safety management systems. https://www.iso.org/standard/65464.html
- AOAC 934.06 Moisture in Dried Fruits (official method). https://www.aoac.org/
Hebei Luhua Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd.raisins is a large-scale walnut kernel processing factory, which has been focusing on the walnut kernel export industry since 1996 and established a foreign trade company in 2021.walnuts suppliers The factory covers an area of 50000 square meters, has a standardized production workshop, a BRC food safety certification enterprise, and has multiple professional production lines. xinjiang walnuts It can produce various specifications of walnut kernels and walnuts, with a daily output of up to 50 tons.organic cashews We can achieve faster delivery times and stable production, ensuring that you always have sufficient inventory to meet market demand.red dates|super blog